All The Leaves Are Brown - Carlessness In Every Season

Hello, everyone! As of September 25th, we will have been living here in OKC for a full year! Now that we've experienced all four seasons of being carless, I'd like to talk about the specific challenges and advantages each new time of year brings.

Fall: 

We moved here in the fall, and that was our first experience with being carless. At that point in time, we were mainly walking to get to the places we needed to go. Here in OKC, fall is mostly what we were used to in Georgia: i.e. it's pretty much still summer, with cooler mornings. What we weren't used to is the phenomenon of being hot and cold at the same time - you know, when the sun is shining brightly, so it's hot out in the open, but the wind is cold, and it's chilly when you walk into the shade or when the breeze is strong. It presents quite a conundrum when we're trying to be prepared for the elements, as it pretty much doesn't matter what we wear, we're going to be uncomfortable at some point during the trip. When I think about fall in OKC, I think about all the times John and I were sweating while shivering, trying to figure out how to layer more and delayer at the same time. I'm sure I looked like a weirdo all the times I trudged along, stripped down to a t-shirt but still clutching my scarf around my neck and wearing a knit hat. And here we are - the season of hot-and-cold-at-the-same-time is upon us again! 

Beautiful fall weather at Myriad Gardens.

Winter: 

Winter in OKC was a total trip for us. We're not only used to milder winter temperatures in Georgia, but we're also used to driving through that mild weather. We knew we were in for a whole new ball game with being carless in the wintertime, but our expectations were definitely surpassed. Coming from a place where a little mild snowfall happens, oh, maybe once a year (which is evidenced by how prepared Georgia is for accumulation), we were totally amazed by the amount of snow and ice we experienced last winter. That said, you would think it would have been a challenge for us to keep warm, but that came fairly easily. Get pelted a couple of times with 20 mph winds in 20 degree weather and you'll quickly figure out that you need to put on thermal underwear and double up on socks. Once we got the layering under control, we were pretty good to go. It's weirdly fun in its own way, being carless in the winter - going out in snowy weather feels like an adventure, and I'm actually looking forward to it this year. Watch out for me - I'll be the girl with two hats and two scarves on. 

A Christmas Story.

Spring: 

Spring in OKC is a lot like fall in OKC, except with more rain and scarier storms. We thankfully didn't experience anything life-threatening this past spring, but we did our best to be prepared for it. Other than the potential for tornadoes, spring is generally pleasant if a little bit unpredictable. As with any time of year, it's good to read the weather reports and be prepared with an umbrella and layers. We started riding bikes this past spring as well, which made an already lovely season even more enjoyable after the winter of the polar vortex. 

Spring frolicking.

Summer: 

When we first moved here, a lot of people told us to watch out for the summer heat, and I have to admit, we kind of laughed in their faces. We come from GEORGIA, we boomed; the DEEP SOUTH, if you're unfamiliar, where summer means swimming through 100% humidity with a cloud of gnats flying around your head. *We've got this*, we scoffed. And while the humidity in OKC doesn't come close to what we grew up with, I have to say, the heat itself did surprise us. We're used to hills and shade trees, both of which go a long way to alleviate the scorching heat, as well as cool breezes, which are surprisingly scarce in the summer here. In Oklahoma, HOT WIND is a very real phenomenon, and as it turns out, a breeze isn't always a blessing on a blistering day. We learned just how hot it can feel out here on the flat, treeless prairie, especially when each gust of wind may as well have come out of a hairdryer. That said, we adapted pretty well. We learned to accept a little more sweat into our daily lives, and how to dress for maximum coolness. Furthermore, we learned that when the high is 100, you just don't go out in the middle of the day if you can help it. Timing is everything. 

Cycling on a summer evening, because otherwise we'd probably die of heat exhaustion.

Here's to our next cycle of seasons in OKC! 

Make sure to catch our segment on KOSU 91.7 FM tomorrow morning (Thursday 9/18) at 7:35am! We'll be on next Thursday at the same time as well. Follow us on Twitter at @CarlessInOKC for reminders to tune in. Make sure to tweet and tell us what you think!